The Giant Co. announces leadership changes

The Giant Co., Carlisle, Pa., has named Rebecca Lupfer chief financial officer and Dave Lessard senior vice president of operations, customer experience and perishable distribution. Both will report directly to The Giant Co. President John Ruane, effective Oct. 16, according to a news release.

“Rebecca and Dave are talented, passionate and results-driven leaders, with vast retail grocery experience and a deep awareness of our customers and their evolving needs,” Ruane said in the release. “During their tenures with The Giant Company, they’ve made numerous contributions to our business and their teams, and I know they will continue to do so in their new roles, setting the stage for our company’s continued success.”

In her new role, Lupfer will lead the finance, format, real estate and strategy departments, while Lessard will oversee the retail operations, perishable distribution and transportation teams.

After beginning her career at Highmark Blue Cross, Lupfer joined Ahold Financial Services in 2005 as a business analyst and held various internal audit positions of increasing responsibility before joining Ahold USA in 2016 as a portfolio lead for seasonal merchandising, according to the release. She joined The Giant Co. in 2018 as director of merchandising planning and was promoted to vice president of merchandising, center store in 2019. Most recently, Lupfer served as divisional president of the company’s mid-Atlantic division, overseeing retail operations at 100 Giant and Martin’s stores in central and western Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, a role she has held since February 2022, the release said.

Lupfer currently serves on the board of directors for the Academy of Food Marketing and The Food Marketing Educational Foundation at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia. She is also a founding board member and vice president of the West Perry Mustang Foundation, which supports students in the West Perry School District. In addition, she serves as the executive sponsor of the LINC business resource group at The Giant Co. Lupfer has been named a Top Woman in Grocery by Progressive Grocer, a 40 Under 40 award winner by the Central Penn Business Journal, a Woman of Excellence by the YWCA of Greater Harrisburg and was honored by Mass Market Retailers as a Person Who Made a Difference. ​She earned an MBA from Lebanon Valley College and a bachelor’s degree in accounting at Pennsylvania State University.

Following a nearly 25-year career at The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Co. (A&P) where he held a variety of positions in merchandising and operations, Lessard joined the Ahold Delhaize family of brands in 2002 as director of produce at Giant Landover, where he also served as vice president of produce, according to the release. At Ahold USA, he held a variety of roles including director of produce and vice president of produce and floral, helping to lead the transformation of the company’s produce department in 2014. 

Lessard joined The Giant Co. in ​2018 as vice president of fresh merchandising, overseeing the produce, meat and seafood, bakery, deli, prepared foods and floral departments. In 2022, he added oversight of the company’s perishable distribution center to his responsibilities. 

Lessard currently serves on the board of directors for the York County Food Bank and on the Food Marketing Institute Fresh Food Leadership Council. He also serves as executive sponsor of the Barrier Free business resource group at The Giant Co. Lessard previously served on the board of directors of the Southeast Produce Council, where he is now an adviser. He has completed leadership programs at Harvard and Cornell University. Lessard has received The Giant Co.’s Presidents’ Award, the Produce for Better Health Foundation Award and was named a Legendary Champion of Change by the​ International Dairy Deli Bakery Association.